HORSENS, Denmark — When Denmark’s Thomas Cup campaign opens against India on Thursday, the absence of Viktor Axelsen will hang over the team like a shadow. The reigning Olympic and world champion, widely regarded as the greatest men’s singles player of his generation, will not suit up for the Danish squad in Horsens due to a lingering shoulder injury. His withdrawal raises a critical question: can Denmark still lift badminton’s most prestigious men’s team trophy without its talisman?
Axelsen, 29, has been the cornerstone of Danish badminton for nearly a decade. Since his breakthrough at the 2017 World Championships, he has amassed two Olympic medals (gold in Tokyo 2020, bronze in Rio 2016), five World Championship titles, and multiple All England crowns. His dominance in singles — where he held the world No. 1 ranking for over 110 weeks — has often carried Denmark through tight ties in team events. In the 2022 Thomas Cup final, his straight-sets victory over Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting clinched the title for Denmark, ending a 25-year drought.
This year, but, the situation is different. Axelsen withdrew from the Thomas Cup squad on May 10, citing a shoulder issue that has bothered him since the Malaysia Open in January. The Danish Badminton Federation confirmed the decision in a brief statement: “Viktor is prioritizing long-term health and recovery. He will not participate in the Thomas Cup to ensure he is fully fit for the second half of the season, including the Paris Olympics preparations.”
The timing is delicate. Denmark’s Thomas Cup campaign begins on May 16 in Horsens, a small city in Jutland approximately 200 kilometers west of Copenhagen. The venue, Casa Arena Horsens, will host Group D matches over three days, with Denmark facing India, Algeria, and host nation France in the preliminary round. Matches begin at 10:00 a.m. Local time (08:00 UTC) each day.
Without Axelsen, Denmark’s singles burden falls heavily on Rasmus Gemke and Hans-Kristian Vittinghus. Gemke, ranked world No. 18, has shown flashes of brilliance but lacks Axelsen’s consistency under pressure. Vittinghus, 37, brings experience but is past his peak, having dropped to No. 42 in the world rankings. The doubles pairs — Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and Mathias Christiansen/Frederik Søgaard — remain world-class, ranked No. 3 and No. 8 respectively, but even they cannot carry the entire team alone in a format that requires wins across five matches (three singles, two doubles).
India, Denmark’s opener, presents a formidable challenge. Led by world No. 4 Lakshya Sen and the rising duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (world No. 1 in doubles), India pushed Denmark to the limit in the 2022 Thomas Cup semifinal, losing only 3-2. Sen, in particular, has troubled Axelsen in recent meetings, taking a game off the Dane in their last three encounters. With Axelsen out, Sen becomes a clear favorite in what would have been the marquee singles clash.
Historically, Denmark has won the Thomas Cup only once — in 2022 — despite being a perennial contender in Europe. Their success has often hinged on Axelsen’s ability to win both his singles matches and lift the team’s morale. In the 2020 Thomas Cup (held in 2021 due to pandemic delays), Denmark lost in the quarterfinals to Japan after Axelsen was upset in singles by Kenta Nishimoto. The following year, they fell to Indonesia in the semifinals despite Axelsen winning both his matches, highlighting how even his brilliance needs support.
Coach Kenneth Jonassen acknowledged the challenge in a pre-tournament press briefing: “We knew Viktor’s availability was uncertain going into this. We’ve prepared for multiple scenarios. The team understands the task — it’s not about replacing Viktor, which is impossible, but about collective execution. If everyone does their job, we can still compete.”
The injury situation adds context. Axelsen has managed shoulder discomfort for over a year, reportedly stemming from repetitive strain during his intense training regimen. He skipped the Indonesia Open and Thailand Open in January to rest, then played through pain at the Malaysia Open before withdrawing from the India Open. Medical officials have not disclosed specifics, but the Danish federation emphasized that the call was precautionary, aiming to have him ready for the Olympic qualifiers and the Paris Games later this summer.
For global badminton fans, the Thomas Cup remains a marquee event — the sport’s equivalent of the Davis Cup or Fed Cup in tennis. Held biennially, it brings together 16 national teams in a knockout format. Denmark enters as two-time defending champions (having also won in 1960 and 1961), though their modern resurgence began only after Axelsen’s rise. His absence marks the first time since 2015 that Denmark has competed in the Thomas Cup without him.
Statistically, Axelsen’s impact is measurable. In Thomas Cup play since 2016, he has won 18 of 20 singles matches, a 90% win rate. His teammates’ combined singles record in those same matches is 22 wins and 28 losses — under 44%. When Axelsen wins both his singles, Denmark has won 8 of 9 ties. When he loses one or both, their record drops to 3 wins and 7 losses.
Yet badminton is a team sport, and upsets happen. In 2016, Denmark won the European Mixed Team Championships without Axelsen, relying on strong doubles and depth in singles. More recently, in the 2023 Sudirman Cup, Denmark reached the semifinals despite Axelsen playing only limited singles due to injury management.
The path forward hinges on doubles dominance and stolen singles victories. If Gemke can push Sen to three games, and if Vittinghus or emerging talent like Magnus Johannesen can steal a match against lower-ranked opponents, the doubles pairs may carry the team. Astrup/Rasmussen, in particular, have been exceptional this season, winning the Indonesia Open and reaching the finals of the All England and Swiss Open.
Group D also includes Algeria and France. Algeria, making only their second Thomas Cup appearance, are expected to be the weakest link — a potential source of easy wins. France, meanwhile, boasts world-class doubles in Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue (mixed) and strong singles in Christo Popov, but their men’s singles depth is thin. A win over France could secure Denmark’s quarterfinal berth.
Should Denmark advance, they would likely face either Indonesia or Malaysia in the quarterfinals — a daunting prospect without Axelsen. Both teams feature elite singles players (Jonatan Christie, Lee Zii Jia) and world-class doubles. Yet stranger things have happened: in 2020, Japan won the Thomas Cup despite never having a world No. 1 singles player, relying on tactical discipline and doubles excellence.
For now, the focus remains on Thursday’s opener. India will be motivated, confident, and aware of Denmark’s vulnerability. A loss would not eliminate Denmark but would complicate their route, potentially setting up a quarterfinal clash with a powerhouse. A win, however, would send a message: that Danish badminton is more than one man.
As the shuttles fly in Horsens, the absence of Viktor Axelsen will be felt — in the quiet during changeovers, in the tactical adjustments, in the weight of expectation. But whether that void means no victory remains to be seen. In badminton, as in life, sometimes the team steps up when the star steps back.
Denmark’s next match is scheduled for May 17 against Algeria, with play beginning at 10:00 a.m. Local time (08:00 UTC). Updates on player availability and match schedules will be posted by the Badminton World Federation on its official website and social media channels.
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